Dyson disqualified for touching line of putt

SHANGHAI (AP) - Simon Dyson, in a six-way tie for second going into the weekend at the BMW Masters, was disqualified Saturday morning for a rules violation that was discovered a few hours before he was to tee off in one of the final groups at Lake Malaren.

It was a crucial mistake for Dyson, and it could end up keeping him from the European Tour finale in Dubai next month.

Dyson, who had a 70 in the second round and was four shots out of the lead, had a birdie putt that ran just past the cup on the eighth hole Friday. After marking his ball, he used the ball to quickly tamp a spot on the green directly in the line of his next putt.

That violates Rule 16-1a, which forbids a player from touching the line of the putt.

Television viewers alerted the European Tour to the infraction, and chief referee John Paramor reviewed it Saturday morning. He talked to Dyson about the violation to see if there might have been an exception to the rule, such as removing a loose impediment.

Dyson was disqualified for signing an incorrect scorecard because he did not add the two-shot penalty to his 70.

Dyson is No. 66 in the Race to Dubai, and the disqualification could not have come at a worse time. Only the top 60 reach the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai next month, and the Englishman was sure to lose more ground by not earning any money this week from the $7 million prize fund.

He is not eligible for the HSBC Champions next week, meaning the Turkish Open will be his one shot at getting into the top 60.

Dyson was not available for comment.

(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)